For those wheeling into the sprawling grounds of PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., an interesting juxtaposition immediately presents itself.

The home to the popular Honda Classic is situated just a few hundred yards from Florida’s Turnpike, a generally wide-open expanse of toll-road pavement that allows lead-footed motorists to drive as fast as they dare.

As for the green grass of the PGA Tour itself, well, it remains a case of life in the slow lane. Forget the gas pedal. On this tour, the brake pads are as metaphorically worn out as the game’s slow-play issue itself.

One in a weekly series of stories about golf gear to run each Wednesday.

By Gary Van Sickle

We’ve got this grow-the-game thing all wrong. To grow the game, we’ve got to grow golfers. But how? What would attract young, potential future players to golf?

Video. Gaming. Digital imagery. Golf simulators.

One way to get potential new players golf-ready would be to start them someplace other than on a golf course, where they often are intimidated by better golfers, not welcomed by faster players, unfamiliar with etiquette and overwhelmed by the variety of shots required.

I often have thought of this in relation to basketball. Nobody ever decided to move the rim higher than 10 feet off the ground, even after it was found that many great players could jump high enough – or simply be tall enough – to jam the ball through the hoop. Dunking was banned from 1967 to 1976 in college basketball, as a result of the prowess of Lew Alcindor, who later became known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Thank goodness that rule didn’t last long.

Awarded: The 2022 U.S. Women’s Open to Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C., the U.S. Golf Association announced. It will be the fourth USWO held at Pine Needles, a 1928 Donald Ross design, which also is scheduled to host the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Open (USGA schedule).

Justin Thomas wins again on the PGA Tour as the reigning player of the year claims the recent Honda Classic. Jack Nicklaus talks with Bob Bubka, and, yes, Tiger Woods is back. Bubka and guest co-host Alex Miceli analyze the Honda Classic. Miceli explains his new venture, Morning Read, and the hosts discuss the USGA's new shorter playoff format. Vertical Groove Golf’s Chris Reeves is the featured interview in Groove Up!